In God We Tru$t (1980)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Marty Feldman

Writers:

Chris Allen (writer)
Marty Feldman (writer)

Release Date:

26 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

This is Brother Ambrose. Lead him not into temptation. For he's sure to follow.

Plot:

Raised in a Trappist monastery, the innocent Brother Ambrose (Feldman) sets out to find money to save the bankrupt monastery...

Plot Keywords:

Money | God | Minister | Church | Chase

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 29

4:20 AM

MAX

Cast

Marty Feldman	...	Brother Ambrose
Peter Boyle	...	Dr. Sebastian Melmoth
Louise Lasser	...	Mary
Richard Pryor	...	G.O.D.
Andy Kaufman	...	Armageddon T. Thunderbird
Wilfrid Hyde-White	...	Abbot Thelonius
Severn Darden	...	Priest
Eddie Parks
Stephanie Ross
Richard A. Roth
Barbara Ann Grimes		(as Barbara Ann Walters)
John J. Koshel
Peter Koshel
Lynda Chase		(as Lynda Chase-Chankin)
Bob Yerkes		(as Brayton 'Bob' Yerkes)
David Bond
Norman Bartold
Len Lawson
Peter Nyberg
Paul Baxley
Larri Thomas
David Burton	...	Skateboarder
Kaisen Chu	...	Gardener
Chuck Hicks	...	Paddywagon Driver
Rose Michtom	...	Congregation Member
Sue Angelyn Strain	...	Screaming Woman
Terry L. Finch	...	Evangelist #1
David Banks	...	Evangelist #2 (as David Francis Banks)

Directed by
Marty Feldman

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Chris Allen		writer
Marty Feldman		writer

Produced by
Lauretta Feldman	....	associate producer
Norman T. Herman	....	executive producer
George Shapiro	....	producer
Howard West	....	producer

Original Music by
John Morris

Cinematography by
Charles Correll

Film Editing by
David E. Blewitt

Production Design by
Lawrence G. Paull

Art Direction by
David L. Snyder

Set Decoration by
Peg Cummings

Costume Design by
Ruth Myers

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chase Newhart	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Bruce J. Gfeller	....	construction coordinator

Sound Department
Gregg Landaker	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert R. Rutledge	....	foley artist
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist

Special Effects by
Andrew Miller	....	special effects technician
Robert G. Willard	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Henry Schoessler	....	visual effects
Albert Whitlock	....	special visual effects

Stunts
Christine Anne Baur	....	stunts (as Christine Baur)
Gary Baxley	....	stunts
Paul Baxley	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Boyum	....	stunts
Buzz Bundy	....	stunts
Richard Burch	....	stunts
Kenny Endoso	....	stunts
Gary Epper	....	stunts
Sandi Gross	....	stunts (as Sandra Gross)
Vic Hunsberger	....	stunts (as Victor Hunsberger Jr.)
Pete Kellett	....	stunts
Pat McGroarty	....	stunts (as Patrick McGroarty)
Bob Orrison	....	stunts
Mic Rodgers	....	stunts (as Michael G. Rodgers)
Wally Rose	....	stunts
Kerry Rossall	....	stunts
Jerry Summers	....	stunts
Steve Vandeman	....	stunts (as Steve H. Vandeman)
Al Wyatt Jr.	....	stunts (as Allan Wyatt Jr.)
Paul Baxley	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Alan R. Disler	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera

Casting Department
Tina Real	....	extras casting: local

Editorial Department
Rick Mitchell	....	contributing editor
James Seidelman	....	assistant editor
Dennis Michelson	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Other crew
Dee Dee Wood	....	choreographer

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1980) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universal Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2007) (Spain) (DVD)

Also Known As:

Gimme That Prime Time Religion
In God We Trust (Europe: English title) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

97 min | Spain:92 min (DVD edition)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Finland:K-16 (cut) (1981) | Iceland:12 | Australia:M | Spain:13 | Norway:15 (1993) | UK:15 | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

To prepare for his role as Aramgeddon T. Thunderbird, Andy Kaufman practiced preaching on city streets. During filming, he never broke character.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Brother Ambrose pushes the table in at the dinner the wire used to pull it to its place is visible.

Quotes:

Mary: It may not be the best of all possible worlds, but it's the only damn one we've got.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever Part 4 (2009) (V)

Very funny and biting

Religious types hate this movie and have tried to bury it with poor ratings. (Unfortunately, they've largely succeeded.) An example is the Blockbuster 1996 Movie Guide, which gives it one star (out of five) while, for example, giving the over-the-top, outrageously homo-erotic religious pic Ben Hur four-and-a-half stars.

Despite all the religious disinformation, this is a very well written, funny film. Marty Feldman is very good as Brother Ambrose, a painfully innocent monk cast into the devil's playground of L.A.; Peter Boyle is likewise good as Rev. Melmouth, a low-budget Jerry Falwell who takes advantage of Ambrose; and Louise Lasser does her best work since "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as the heart-of-gold hooker who saves Ambrose from his religiously induced misery (to Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus").

In the end, the film does wuss out somewhat (no details -- I don't want to spoil it) -- it is a Hollywood film after all -- but it's still a stinging indictment of religious arrogance and hypocrisy.

If you're smart enough to resent the intrusive, authoritarian religious nuts who want to control your life (and everyone else's), you'll probably enjoy this film.